Second Chances: Be Careful What You Wish For
by jtbwriter
Summary: Laurie Simon’s new book brings equal parts joy and heartache, Will the Simons lives ever be the same?
1. Default Chapter

SECOND CHANCES: Be Careful What You Ask For.  
  
Laurie's new book brings equal parts joy and heartache  
will the Simons lives ever be the same?  
A Simon and Simon/Six Million Dollar Man Crossover This is a work of fiction. No money is being made on it, and the characters are owned by Universal  
and are only being borrowed for a little while.  
  
Prologue  
  
"Rick, I'll be right back, I 'm going to feed the chickens."  
  
"All right, honey, I'll start breakfast." Rick replied, as Laurie went outside. He looked at the clock and groaned; 5:30 am was a miserable hour to get up at, he never got used to it. Grabbing a cup and pouring some coffee, he took a sip and looked out at the patio, only to see his wife frozen in one spot, staring at the figure of someone in their yard.  
  
He raced out of the kitchen, and rushing up next to her, put an arm around her as he peered at what looked like a woman, standing about ten yards from them, barely visible in the early morning light.  
  
"Laurie, are you all right? Who is that?" he asked, feeling her trembling against his arm. She blinked, then turned to him and managed to say, "It's my great- grandmother, it's Casey."  
  
"You're kidding me, a ghost?" He met her eyes, seeing a dazed expression in them. She nodded, then turning back to the figure, asked, "You are grandmother Casey, aren't you?"  
  
The woman nodded, then they heard her voice, warm, with a funny accent. "I need to warn you, my child. There is danger. You are so much like me, but you need to remember what you have learned, or you'll lose what you most love." She paused, then Laurie said, "Grandmother, what's going to happen?" Her grandmother shook her head, and then seemed to smile. "Just remember to use your head as well as your heart. It will be all right."  
  
Suddenly she was gone, and Rick grabbed his wife as she started to sway. "Sweetheart, I've got you, I'll take you inside." He helped her make it into the house and had her take a seat at the kitchen table. Bringing her a glass of water, he saw the color come back into her face as he sat next to her, asking her "are you dizzy, do you want me to call Rudy or Doc?' She shook her head, taking a deep breath. "I'm fine, just took my breath away to see her. I wonder why she came at this time?'  
  
Rick glanced back out the window, seeing nothing but the chickens looking for worms. "I don't know, darlin', but she seemed real enough. Maybe you shouldn't go on your book tour alone next month?" Laurie gazed at him, then nodded. "I don't want to go, Rick, maybe I can get the publisher to cut back on the number of cities I need to travel to." She shivered, and her husband wrapped his arms around her. "Darlin', I won't let you go alone at all, I want one of us to be with you, what if you get sick or something?"  
  
She cuddled up to Rick, saying, "I'll be all right, I just don't want to be without you. It's been so long we've been apart, that's one of the reasons I didn't want a book tour. I don't like traveling by myself, but you know," she touched his cheek, "all the fun time you ever get is your weekends with the guys once a month or so. I don't want to smother you,"  
  
He interrupted her by kissing her, then told her "The day a man doesn't want to be loved by you, is the day that man is crazy! Besides," he grinned, "I have plenty of fun with you!" Laurie blushed as he grabbed her hand and said, " Come on, I'll even help you with the chickens!"  
  
Laughing, the two held hands and went back out into the cold morning, not noticing a pair of eyes watching them from an adjoining road.  
  
Using binoculars, the man watched Laurie's every move, timing how long it took her to feed the chickens. He saw Rick go into the barn with her, then timed them coming out. As they went back into the house, he smiled, Phase 1 of his plan was now beginning. 


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1  
  
"Rick, where's Laurie?"  
  
He looked up to see A.J. in the doorway of their office, a worried expression on his face. Rick stopped tilting and sat upright, saying, "I think she's in town sending off her manuscript, Why?" "I got a call from Steve, a report of a prison escape came over this morning, Rick, Cheryl Minor, Laurie's ex-agent, broke out of the women's prison in upstate New York yesterday, and last week Leland Johnson, Willowby's chief assistant got let out of prison and promptly broke parole. The FBI thinks he helped get her out and they got a warrant out on him already."  
  
Rick swore under his breath, then angrily said, "Why did they wait so long to tell us about that guy, I remember him, he was the one who got Willowby out of prison to begin with!" His brother shook his head, "Steve is furious, he says somebody fell down at the bureau. But Rick, it gets worse." A.J. pulled a copy of a legal document out of a folder and handed it to him. The older Simon took a look at it then, said, "A.J., this is insane. Do you know what this means?"  
  
A.J. nodded, "Willowby had a hidden trust set up, If anyone from his organization abducted Laurie and forced her to make a private tape of her next book before it came out, they would receive one million dollars. No one at the Justice Department thought to check his assets after he died; the bequest was laid out as an "Estate settlement". She's a walking target for those two, we've got to get her to safety and quick!"  
  
Rick grabbed the phone and punching in some numbers, told his brother, "You get a hold of Oscar, see if he can help run some stuff on those two, where they might go to hole up, see if anybody at Laurie's publisher might be in with them. I'll call the ranch, see if she's home yet?"  
  
Listening to the phone ring at the ranch, Rick was ready to leave a message when the receiver was picked up, "Hello, Simon residence." He breathed a sigh of relief, "Laurie, sweetheart, did you just get in?" There was a pause, then she answered softly, "Yes, Rick, did you and A.J. talk to Steve?" "Yes, darlin', we know what happened. I want you to stay in the house, ok? I'll be home in an hour and we'll figure out what to do." he replied, trying to sound positive. "All right, Rick, I'll sit tight. I'm ok; I don't want you to worry. ", she sighed, then added, "I love you, just be careful, darling."  
  
"I will, now go lock up," he reminded her, then he told her, "I love you, too, sweetheart, I promise I won't let anybody hurt you." Ending the call, he looked up at his brother, then cleared his throat. "What did Oscar say?" A.J. calmly said, "Oscar is on his way, he already has agents canvassing Willowby's real estate holdings to see where Johnson might have gone to ground. Rudy is on his way to the ranch already, he was over at Doc's and Oscar got in touch with him there."  
  
A.J. hesitated, "Should we call Rob and Robin? Mom must have picked them up from the airport already." "No, they're safer with Mom right now, and Laurie would pitch a fit if she thought they'd given up their spring break because of this.", Rick decided. "We'll call and let them know to be careful though."  
  
Grabbing his jacket, Rick turned to his brother, saying, "Can you call Linda and have her come up tomorrow? I know things will go a lot easier if Laurie had her there." "Sure, I'll bring her by myself if necessary.", A.J. returned, then hugged his brother, "It'll be all right, Rick, we won't let those criminals ruin her life."  
  
Driving home through the afternoon traffic, Rick kept his transmitter on and checked in with A.J. as to when Oscar and Steve would be in town. Pulling into the ranch driveway, he saw Rudy's little sports car and breathed a sigh of relief. He got out of the car, then saw his wife open the door and run toward him. He caught her in his arms, kissing her and whirling her around, making her laugh. "I'm glad you're home, Mr. Simon," she gasped, kissing him back. He set her down, saying, "Me too, Mrs. Simon!"  
  
"Ahem." Rudy cleared his throat, coming up behind them, then held his hand up, grinning. "I'm happy to see you, Rick, but you don't have to greet me the same way!"  
  
Laurie smiled at the two men, then asked, "Is anybody hungry, I've got a chicken in the oven. I also made a quiche." The doctor shook his head as they went into the house, "to think the most cooking you used to do is to make a mean salsa, roast chicken, quiche? You're amazing!"  
  
She blushed, "No, just had two good teachers. I swiped both recipes from Robin. By the way, Mom just called, they landed a little while ago. Rob says he'll call to say hi tonight." Turning toward the kitchen, Laurie called over her shoulder, "I need a couple of eggs, I'll be right back. Ice Tea's on the table." As the kitchen door closed behind her, Rick told Rudy, "A.J.'s going to ask Linda to come by tomorrow, I think she'll be more comfortable staying home if she has her friends around." "That's good thinking, son, Laurie doesn't like to feel like she's a burden, having someone like Linda to talk to will help." the doctor said, then both men heard Laurie yell, "Rick!"  
  
Rushing through the back door, Rick and Rudy ran toward the barn, only to stop abruptly at the sight of Laurie trapped behind a wall of flame at the entrance. "Laurie, stand still, don't move!", he yelled, as Rudy ran to get the hose and turn it on the fire.  
  
Within a minute, the smoke was dissipating and Rick reached his wife as she stood coughing and choking. "Sweetheart, are you ok? Just breathe." He pulled Laurie out of the doorway only to have her grab his arm. "Rick," she wheezed, "look at that!" He turned to see a note posted on the side of the barn door. "Next time it could be your husband."  
  
Rick took her in his arms and led her gently back into the kitchen. As the doctor went to get his bag, Rick insisted Laurie sit down while she sipped a glass of water. "Darling, I'm fine, just scared. Someone got onto our land and left that, that warning note. What if they come after you to get to me?" she said, leaning against him. Rick tried to comfort her, "Laurie, listen, don't let some psycho get to you like this. I won't let anyone get either of us, ok?" She gazed up at him, then moved over to let Rudy sit down and take her pulse.  
  
After examining her, Rudy gave Laurie a stern look. "Honey, have you been having dizzy spells or lightheadedness. Your pulse rate is a little high even for what just happened." "No, my stomach's been a little queasy the last couple of days, but I've been trying to finish the book and I guess I haven't really been eating right." Abruptly Rick interrupted, Laurie, you had a dizzy spell last week, remember?" She shot him a dirty look, then reluctantly admitted, "Yes, I did get light-headed the other morning, but well, wouldn't you if you just saw your grandmother?"  
  
The doctor shook his head, "I don't believe it, you saw your Grandmother Casey?" Rick nodded, "I saw her myself, Rudy, she came to warn Laurie." He told him about the message Casey Adams had brought, then Laurie added, "Rick, she was right that something was going to happen."  
  
Rudy cleared his throat, "Excuse me, missy, but I don't like this upset stomach and dizzy spell business. I want you to go straight to bed. I mean it. You're not going to be able to withstand anything if you're sick." Laurie opened her mouth to protest, then looked at her friend's serious expression, and meekly replied, "Can I at least have dinner with you two first?"  
  
The two men looked at each other, then burst into laughter. "All right, sweetheart," Rick grinned, "you're worse than one of the kids. You go change and Rudy and I will put dinner on." Laurie stood up then hugged the doctor, "Bless you, Rudy, I don't know what I'd do without you!" His eyes were bright as he kissed her cheek then gruffly told her to get going. As she left the kitchen, Rick stared after her, then got the extension, telling Rudy "I'm going to call Oscar, they could have killed her!"  
  
"I don't think so, Rick, that fire was a warning, it was dying down even before I put the water on it. I think it was a sign that Johnson left, to let us know that he can get to Laurie. He must have been timing her or something to cut it that close. She was only out there two or three minutes." Rudy got up, "What I don't like is they know how to get to her by threatening you. I don't want Laurie going anywhere by herself until those two are caught."  
  
"You're right, " Rick agreed, waiting for Oscar to pick up. Suddenly there was a knock at the door, and as he went to answer it, Rick heard the big man's voice. "Guys, am I glad to see you!", he exclaimed, greeting both Steve and Oscar. He clicked off the phone, then after Rudy came over, briefly told them what had just went on. Oscar narrowed his eyes, then said, "I'm going to check on her." He left the room as Steve collapsed into a chair, disbelief on his face.  
  
"I guess we've been living in a fool's paradise, it never occurred to me Laurie wouldn't be safe here.", he finally admitted, looking at Rick. "Where's A.J.? Is he still at the office?" "Yes, he was following up Oscar's information as to where Johnson and Cheryl might be hiding out, I'm going to call him to see if he had any luck." The older Simon turned just as Oscar came back in, a faint smile on his face. "She's hungry, what else is new?" Rick laughed and roped the guys into helping pull dinner together.  
  
When Laurie came in she smiled at the full table, saying, "I was dreading not seeing the kids tonight, but you guys'll do." Steve started teasing her about roasting a chicken, particularly since she took such pains to feed them. She grinned, "I might feed them, but I sure don't make friends with them. I like fried chicken too much!" Groaning, Rick started making puns and the others took turns topping each other after dinner, till' a ringing phone interrupted. Laurie picked up the receiver, then lit up. "Robbie, hi!  
  
Did you have a good flight?" Oscar glanced at her happy face, then quietly told her husband. "Steve and I are going to make sure everything's closed up for the night, keep her occupied, I don't want her worrying."  
  
Rick agreed, then went over to Laurie, gesturing that he wanted to talk to Rob and Robin. Passing the phone over, she went to clear the table and then bring in some coffee. When she came back Rick had already briefed their children about the escaped convicts, then told his mother to alert their friend Downtown Brown to keep an eye out. "Kids want to say good night, sweetheart." he said, then when she finished, added, "The guys and I are closing up, I want you to get some rest."  
  
Laurie sighed, "All right, but don't stay up too late." She kissed him, then embraced the others. After she left the room, Rick and Oscar shared what little new information A.J. has passed on to them. Steve insisted on standing watch, just in case a repeat attack was made. Oscar added that he would take a couple of hours too, making Rick go to bed.  
  
As he finished making sure the others were comfortable for the night, Rudy took Rick aside. "If Laurie has any upset stomach or dizziness in the morning, you let me know. If she's got some kind of bug, it's got me fooled, her appetite is sure good." Her husband nodded, "I noticed that, 'course everything tasted good tonight, I noticed there's no quiche left." "Yeah," the doctor laughed, "who says real men don't have good taste!"  
  
As Rick crept into the bedroom, he heard Laurie's voice, "Rick, it's ok, I'm awake." Coming over to the bed, he found her sitting up, so he sat down and took her in his arms. They were both quiet for a moment, then she caressed his cheek, and said "I should be scared out of my mind, but all I feel is lucky to have so many people looking out for me. Johnson thinks he can get to me, but as long as I remember what Grandmother told me, we'll be fine." Rick gazed at her, then started kissing her all over, saying " I'm the lucky one, I have the love of my life in my arms and I won't let anyone take you away from me." Releasing her long enough to change clothes, he climbed into bed, embracing her as she whispered, "now, where were we?"  
  
The ringing phone woke Laurie first, and as she picked up the extension, she glanced over at the clock and saw that it was only 3am. "Hello?" she murmured sleepily, then came awake immediately at Linda's voice. "Laurie, I'm sorry to wake you, but did you or Rick hear from A.J. last night?" "Rick did, honey, what's wrong, didn't he come home last night?"  
  
"No, and I 'm worried. I called the office and the answering machine isn't on. He's not picking up and I called the security office, they say his car is still there." Her voice trembling, Linda added, "I found a note under the door just now, it says, "next time it's his brother." What's going on?" Laurie felt Rick sit up next to her, so she told her sister-in-law, "I'm going to put Rick on, it's going to be ok, sis." She held out the phone to her husband and explained, "A.J.'s missing, Linda says he didn't come home last night and she got a note under  
  
her door. You'd better talk to her; I'll tell the guys."  
  
Getting up and putting her robe on, Laurie opened the door to find Oscar already standing there. Filling him in, she stood aside for him to talk to Rick and found Steve starting the coffee. He looked at her, then without a word hugged her, saying, "It's not your fault, we'll find A.J." She nodded then said, "At least we know who we're dealing with. Now we have to see how they'll contact us." Taking the pot and cups out to the living room, she found Rudy putting his shirt on. Pouring him a cup, she handed it to him, then said, "Linda shouldn't be by herself, I'm going to see if Rick can pick her up." The doctor shook his head, "I'm going over there, just in case she gets a call from A.J. or, well, just in case."  
  
Rick came out of the bedroom, talking to Oscar, then turned as Laurie handed him a cup of coffee. He took a sip, then set it down and took her in his arms. "It'll be ok, Rick, you'll find him, I know you will." She told him, trying to be positive. He held her tightly, whispering, "I love you, never forget that, sweetheart. You listen to Oscar, promise?" Her eyes filled, but she managed a smile and replied, "I promise, my love, just be careful."  
  
As Rick opened the door, a piece of paper fluttered down, he opened it, then showed the message to Laurie and Steve. "You're next." 


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
Rick slammed his hand against the wall. "Damm it, that's the last straw. Oscar, I'm going to the office. I'm going to see if I can pick up A.J.'s trail and talk to Captain Ron. This isn't going any further!" He kissed Laurie, then got into the truck and took off, stopping only to yell, "I'll call when I get there."  
  
As his taillights disappeared into the distance, Rudy came out of the house, wrapped up against the cold morning air, and told his old friend, "You can reach me at A.J. and Linda's, let me know if you find out anything." Oscar patted his shoulder, then Laurie hugged him and handed him a thermos of coffee. "Drive careful, Rudy, and watch the turn near town, ok?"  
  
"Worry wart.", he kissed her cheek. Then glancing at the two men, met their eyes. Watch over her, his look said.  
  
After Rudy left, Oscar herded his two agents inside, then made Laurie rest on the couch while he got on the phone and Steve made breakfast.  
  
As the hours went by, very little broke the waiting for word about A.J. Rick called after an hour, telling Oscar that he had stopped by to check on Linda and look at the note she had found. It was the same printing as the notes left on the barn and by the front door. "Tell Laurie I'll call when I get to the office, I should be able to figure out where they took him by then." "You go ahead, don't worry. Steve made breakfast, and I've got Laurie looking through the property records for any recent rentals or purchases by Willowby's shadow company." Oscar replied.  
  
When Rick didn't call back after two hours, Laurie started to worry. She got up from the kitchen table, and facing her uncle, admitted "I'm scared, Oscar, this isn't like Rick. He should have called by now!"  
  
Before he could answer, they heard a car drive up, and Laurie went to the window, only to turn and say, "It's Rudy and Linda, maybe they heard something." Oscar opened the door, as a cold gust of wind came in with their friends.  
  
Laurie went right to her sister-in-law, hugging her and leading her to a seat by the fire. "Linda, are you ok, want some coffee?" She shook her head, "No, not right now. I don't think I could keep it down. I couldn't stand it any longer, so I asked Rudy to bring me here." She looked up at Laurie, "Has Rick called yet?"  
  
"No, sis, and I'm worried. He should have called an hour ago. maybe I ought to call Captain Ron, see if Rick might be with him." she answered.  
  
Abruptly, the phone rang, and Steve went to answer it. "Simon Residence." He had a puzzled expression on his face as he turned. "Honey, do you know a Willow, she says she works for your publisher?"  
  
"No, but that's nothing new, the publishing company has changed a lot since I was there last." She took the receiver from him, only to hear a familiar voice on the other end.  
  
"Hello, Laurie, long time no see, or hear. Tell me, are you missing anything?"  
  
She nearly dropped the phone in her anger. "Cheryl, what do you think you're doing, where's A.J.?" She beckoned Oscar to pick up the extension, as her ex-agent sneered, "Oh, what's the matter, changed your mind and want the blond instead of the old one, huh?" Suddenly her tone changed, and the woman snarled, "Laurie, if you want to see your husband or his brother again, you be here in one hour, otherwise you'll be burying them."  
  
"No, Cheryl, let me talk to them.", she replied, trying to keep calm. They heard fumbling with the receiver, then A.J.'s voice.  
  
"Laurie, it's me." "Oh, A.J., are you all right?" she asked, worried by his weak tone. "I'm all right, let me talk to Linda." She passed the phone to her sister-in-law, who said, "A.J., it's Linda." "Honey, I miss you, I'll be ok, don't worry." His voice trembled, and Linda had to take a deep breath, before saying, "I know you will, be careful, darling, I love you." The younger Simon started to say "I love you,.." but they heard a scuffle in the background, then the escaped convict came back on, angrily saying, "That's all you'll get, Mrs. Simon, unless Laurie is here in one hour; she comes to the parking lot in back of your husband's office, alone, no cops, no government. Be here or they're dead."  
  
There was a dial tone, then Linda handed Laurie the phone. "Honey, it's a trap, I don't want you to go." Laurie sat for a moment, staring at the receiver, then said, "I've got it, I know how we can rescue Rick and A.J. Oscar, do you have your receiver with you?" The big man frowned, "Yes, I have one with a tracking beam and send/receive mode, why?"  
  
"Because, " she got up and faced her uncle. "If I can take Cheryl by surprise, we can disarm her, free the guys, and capture Johnson all together, without my having to give into them. I can get into the building, and while she's seeing me come in, Steve could come up the fire escape and take her down. We rescue A.J., then force her to take us to Rick."  
  
Laurie looked at the guys, as Steve nodded and said, "That might work, Oscar, I know where the back entrance is, I could sneak in there and come up behind Cheryl. Laurie would just have to keep her busy." Goldman agreed, "We can free A.J., then if Rick has been taken some place else, it shouldn't be too hard to track down where Johnson has him. That's a good idea, honey, only one thing." "Yes?" she looked expectantly at Oscar. "You're staying here, it's too much of a risk for you to take, Steve and I will go, I can decoy the woman while Steve comes in behind her. We can rescue A.J. and then find Rick."  
  
Laurie stared at him in disbelief, "Oh, no, Oscar, you can't do that, she'll kill A.J. and you, she's vicious. I have a better shot, and I promise you I'm not letting my emotions run wild on this. I want to save Rick and A.J., but I'm not suicidal, I'll be safe just as long as I have you guys backing me up."  
  
She stood up, then stubbornly looked at her friends. "I'm not taking no for an answer on this, guys, I'm going to get ready, we have less then an hour, are you coming or not?"  
  
Rudy started to object, only for Oscar to hold up a hand. "All right, honey, you go get ready, here's the spare transmitter, you go put it on and we'll get what we need." Laurie nodded, then went to the bedroom. Scarcely had she gone in when Oscar quickly went to the door and turned the lock. Laurie turned around, hearing the click then tried the knob. "Oscar, did you lock the door, open it right now!" She heard his stern tone on the other side, "Laurie, it's for your own safety, you're not going. I will bring the guys home safe, I promise. You stay in there and we'll be back as soon as we can."  
  
"No, Oscar, I, I trust you, please believe me, but they'll kill you and Rick and A.J., Cheryl will know it's a trick, please let me out!" Frantic, Laurie looked around, then saw the window, and figured out her escape. Oscar repeated, "Honey, listen to me, you stay here, that's an order! I won't let anything go wrong, I promise." He listened to her voice; sounding as if she was close to tears. "All right, Oscar, you know I love you."  
  
She heard him pause, and quickly she got her purse and keys, then pushed open her window and carefully climbed out over the cactus., catching a spine and biting back an "ouch". Hitting the ground running, she raced to her jeep, then climbing in, turned the engine over and drove up the drive, only pausing when she saw Rudy's head sticking out of the window, "Please, count to 30 and follow me, ok, I need you to back me up." she called.  
  
She turned and gunned the motor, racing up the driveway and onto the road by the time that Rudy, Oscar, Steve and Linda could come outside. Oscar furiously looked at Steve and growled, "You need to stop her, pal, go catch up with her and bring her back, you hear me!"  
  
Looking after her in the early morning light, Steve shook his head. "Oscar, we don't have time for this. I'll catch up with her, but I'm going along to back her up. Now, you two can come or stay, but don't let her down." He took off at a dead run, and was out of sight around the bend. Oscar and Rudy looked at each other, then the big man sighed and went to his car as the doctor turned to Linda, "We'll call you as soon as we get A.J., all right?" She hugged him then went into the house as the two took off.  
  
As Laurie sped toward the highway, she looked in her rear view mirror and saw a blur in the distance. Relief washed over her as she realized she wasn't going to have to go it alone. Just before the turnoff she pulled over, waiting until the blur slowed down and turned into Steve. As he jumped into the jeep, she gunned it onto the highway, then said, "Thank you, Steve." He looked over at her, saying, "You never let me down, you better not start now!"  
  
On the other side of the Simon's office building, Laurie let her friend out. He leaned through the window and told her, "I'll wait for you to get inside, then I'll come around the back fire escape. If she pulls anything, run. I'll take care of it from there, agreed?" "Agreed," she returned, then grabbed his hand. "Be careful Steve."  
  
He gently squeezed it back, then disappeared around the back as she shifted the gear, then pulled around and into the parking lot. As she parked behind Rick and A.J.'s office, she noticed a lone van at the end of the lot, then told Steve about it.  
  
"We'll check it out after we get Cheryl. I'll keep an eye on it before I come in, though', he answered.  
  
As Laurie got out of the jeep, she looked up at the Simon's second floor office, and could have sworn she saw a flash of light. Going into the building, she checked in with the security guard, who upon recognizing her, told her he never saw her brother-in-law leave. "Your husband called me a couple of hours ago, saying he was coming over, but he hasn't come in yet." She thanked the guard, then told him she was going up to check on A.J. As she went up the stairs, she turned on the transmitter in her bra, whispering, "Testing, can you hear me, Oscar?" There was a pause, then "I hear you, honey. Where are you?"  
  
"I'm on the stairs, I just talked to the security guard, he never saw A.J. leave. He said Rick called and said he was coming, but never got here." she replied.  
  
Advancing to the second floor, she paused at the office door, listening for any sounds. Telling Steve she was there, she "saw" the image of Cheryl Minor standing next to the door, gun in hand. She grinned, then noiselessly crept backwards to the back door of the office. Pulling out her skeleton key, she quietly unlocked the door, then slid in. She saw the woman's figure, then taking a paper clip off one of the desks, tossed it In the opposite direction. Minor whirled around, then before she could raise her gun, Laurie rushed her and knocked it out of her hand. As the ex-agent yelled in surprise, Steve came thru the fire exit and grabbed her as Laurie flipped the lights on.  
  
"All right, Cheryl, where's Rick and A.J.?" she demanded, as the woman fruitlessly struggled. Involuntarily glancing at the closet, Minor shrugged, "I don't know, find them yourself!" "Ok, I will," Laurie replied, then went to the closet and unlocked. Flinging open the door, she turned on the light and found A.J. bound and gagged inside.  
  
"A.J.!" she cried, then went in and pulled the gag out of his mouth. His eyes fluttered open, and he gasped for air. Laurie pulled out her little knife and cut him free, then helped him to his feet. "Laurie, they have Rick!" he told her, grabbing the doorjamb to catch his balance. "I know, my old agent here told me, " she said, hugging her brother-in-law. As he came out of the storage room, A.J. narrowed his eyes at the sight of the Minor woman, saying, "She snuck up the service elevator last night and came in the back way. I never even saw her until just before she hit me. I heard her call someone, that's when I knew they had Rick."  
  
Steve spoke up, "You have any idea where they're holding your brother?" A.J. shook his head. "It can't be that far, why don't we let Cheryl take us to him?" He handed the ropes that had bound him to Laurie, who tied the woman's wrists and told her, "Unless you want a life term for kidnapping and attempted murder, you'll show us where my husband is." A frightened look crossed Cheryl's face, and she started hedging, "I don't know where they took him, Laurie, honest. My part was to get his brother and take you hostage, but as far as where to take you, uh, I'm supposed to meet a driver in ten minutes. It's the truth, I swear!"  
  
Laurie stared at her, then hit the transmitter, "Did you hear that, Oscar, how far are you guys from here?" "Loud and clear, honey, we should be there in 10 minutes. wait for us downstairs by that van you spotted. " "Ok, Oscar." She signed off, then took A.J.'s arm and helped him down the stairs as Steve followed with Minor.  
  
As they approached the van, Steve jerked the woman around and asked, "Is there anybody in that van, you'd better tell the truth." "No, I was supposed to meet the driver here, I have the keys so no one else could get in.", she replied, nervously glancing around.  
  
Handing A.J. the gun, Steve walked around the vehicle, trying the doors. He came around the front, and using the keys he had taken from Cheryl, opened the sliding door. Peering in, Laurie saw nothing but some rags and a pair of handcuffs hanging from the door. "I take it those were for me," she remarked, staring at them. Just then a police car pulled up next to the office building, and Captain Ron got out. "Guys, why don't you take Cheryl to the Captain, he can book her for us. I'll wait here, something doesn't quite compute with this van."  
  
"Ok, but don't move, Laurie, Oscar will be right here." Steve reminded her,  
  
as A.J. gave her a slight grin then roughly took the arm of Minor and walked her over to the police car. Laurie turned back to the van, then looking inside, saw something gold and shiny roll out from the drivers compartment onto the van floor. Her throat tightened as she leaned in and kneeling, picked it up, recognizing it as Rick's wedding band. She put it on her thumb, then started to get out.  
  
Suddenly she looked up to see a man's face looking at her from between the seats, startled, she fell forward as he started the engine, then automatically closed the doors. "No! Help!" she yelled, pushing herself upright only to have the driver's compartment slide closed in her face. The van started to move, then peeled out of the parking lot and out the back entrance, sending Laurie sliding hard against the side panel and knocking the wind out of her. "Steve!" she called, then heard him calling her and asking what was happening. She told him, then heard Oscar saying, "Where are you, where's the van?"  
  
"Oscar, someone was hiding in the van, they trapped me in here and took off, hurry! This guy must be taking me to Johnson!" she whispered, frantically trying to catch her breath. She tried to hang on to the door handles, then  
  
realized the vehicle was slowing to a stop. Abruptly, the front panel slid open, and a familiar man leaned forward, gun in hand. "You, you worked for Willowby, how did you get out of jail!" she yelled, trying to back away. "My dear Mrs. Simon, I was never in jail, they never caught me. I've been waiting all this time for my share of the estate, and now I'll end up with the most, thanks to you're taking out Cheryl." Grasping her arm roughly, he forced her against the door and handcuffed her wrists together, then producing a handkerchief, gagged her.  
  
Tossing her roughly to the floor, he smirked at her, saying, "Don't worry, Mrs. Simon, I'll take real good care of you, in fact, you get to be with your husband in just a few minutes!" He went back to the drivers seat, then slid the panel closed and took off.  
  
Laurie slumped against the door, trying to wriggle out of the handcuffs. She heard Oscar call her name, then she told Steve what had happened. Laurie tried to reach the transmitter with her chin, then managed to catch the gag  
  
in her mouth on the door handle and pull it off. She gasped then answered her uncle, "Oscar, I'm ok, the driver is one of Willowby's employees, I recognized him." There was silence, then "Laurie, we know where you're headed, Willowby owned an old winery in Shadow Valley, we're going to follow you until the turnoff, then take a short cut and be waiting by the gate. Just hold on, honey."  
  
"I will, Oscar, you guys be careful, this Patrick is vicious. I'm afraid of what he must have done to Rick." she replied. Suddenly the van turned, then began bumping down a very rough road. Laurie tried to balance herself, then her stomach started to roll. Damn, I can't be carsick, she groaned, then focused her eyes on the window opposite her in a vain attempt to fight the waves of nausea.  
  
Finally she felt the vehicle hit a smooth patch of ground, then slowing down, stopped. Laurie started breathing slowly, hoping to keep her breakfast from coming up. The door across from her opened, then she blinked and saw the white-haired assistant to Willowby peer in, a welcoming smile on his face. "Mrs. Simon, I'm sorry we had to meet again like this, but I promise to make you more comfortable in a moment. Patrick, free Mrs. Simon at once."  
  
As the driver undid the handcuffs, she took a deep breath, then moaned, "I feel so sick, please, where's Rick, where's my husband?" Johnson looked at her, then offering a hand, helped lift her out of the van. As Laurie stood up, she felt a wave of dizziness, then leaning on the older man, said, "I feel faint, please.." Johnson turned to Patrick, "Mrs. Simon might feel better if she sees him, go ahead and unlock the door." 


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
Rick tried to jerk the handcuff holding his wrist to the chair for the hundredth time since he had woken up that morning. At least he thought it was morning, he had no idea how long he'd been out since he was forced off the road and knocked out. One moment he was climbing out of the truck trying to see who had spun him out, then, nothing.  
  
Suddenly he heard the door to his prison open, revealing Leland Johnson and the goon who had nailed him, with his wife half-fainting between them. "Laurie!", he shot up out of the chair frantically, then burst out angrily, "What did you do to her, you bastards?" "Now Mr. Simon, calm down, we did nothing to your wife, she's just become ill to her stomach. Patrick will take off your restraint for a few minutes so you can take care of Mrs. Simon. No sudden moves, or she will be the one helping you.", Johnson threatened. Laurie raised her head at this, then reached out to Rick as the driver unlocked his handcuff. Catching her in his arms, he held her tight as she said, "I'm ok, darling, just get me into a bathroom." He raised his eyes to them and asked, "Do you have a restroom, I'm afraid she's going to be sick."  
  
"Certainly, Mr. Simon, I'll leave you two alone for a few minutes." the older man indicated a door in the back of the room, which he unlocked. As he helped Laurie make her way inside the bathroom, the door was closed behind them. At once she reached over and turned on the faucets, then buried her head in his shoulder, saying, "Thank God, Rick, I was so worried, A.J. 's all right, we got Cheryl, but they trapped me in a van and took off. Oscar and Steve and Rudy are outside, they're trying to break in."  
  
Rick held her tight, then heard her transmitter make a sound. "Darlin', let me talk to Oscar." She nodded, then pulled out her earpiece and handed the transmitter and receiver to him, along with a little knife she had stuck in her bra. Scarcely had he put them away when they heard footsteps.  
  
Laurie turned and bent over, as if she was being sick. The door opened, and Rick looked at the two crooks, shouting, "leave her alone, can't you see she's ill!' The door closed abruptly, and he turned back only to hear her coughing.  
  
"It's ok, sweetheart." he held her head, then got a paper towel and wiped her face. "I'm all right, just carsick. That jerk must have hit every pothole from here to Tempe." she sniffed, then leaned against Rick. She pulled his ring off her thumb saying, "I found this in the van just before Patrick took me, I was so afraid when I saw this." Rick put it on his finger and then embraced her as he whispered. "Oscar, we've got to get out of here, where are you guys?" "At the entrance, Steve's trying to figure out how to break in. We need a diversion." Goldman added, "They have a heat activated camera system just above the entry."  
  
"Ok, we can do that," she nodded. then put her hand to her forehead as Johnson opened the door again. "Mrs. Simon, I think you'll feel better if you rest a bit, I'll take you to my study, you can re-join your husband later." Laurie made her way out of the bathroom, then saw Patrick grab Rick's arm and force him back into the chair. "No, I won't go if you chain him up like a dog, I won't!" she cried, pushing between the goon and her husband.  
  
The older man hesitated, then nodded, "Very well, Mrs. Simon, if you come quietly, Mr. Simon will be left unrestrained. Stay right there, and I'll bring your wife back in a while." Laurie let out a sigh of relief, then putting her arms around Rick, told him, "I'll be back, I love you." He held her close, then whispered, "Grab his keys, I'll break out of here and find you as soon as I can."  
  
She felt a hand on her arm, then was gently pulled away from him. Rick sat very still, his eyes fixed on Laurie until they closed the door in her face. She let Johnson lead her down the hall as if she was too weak to resist, then he brought her into an elegant room, full of hangings and velvet curtains. Assisting Laurie to a seat, he brought her a glass of water, which she sipped carefully, afraid he might try to slip her something. Taking a seat across from her, Willowby's former assistant gazed at her, then said, "I'm sorry you must go through with this, but Mr. Willowby's instructions were very specific. Your book must not come out until a tape of your stories as told by you has been made. As soon as it is done, you and your husband will be free to go. I promise you and Mr. Simon will not be harmed and I will try to make you as comfortable as possible."  
  
He leaned back, as Laurie weakly told him, "I don't want to be here, I don't know why a tape of me telling my stories is so valuable that you would take my husband and I prisoner, but I won't do it. I'm not a puppet, you can't make me." She pretended to shiver, noting where the phone was plugged into the wall, then quavered, "Could you put some heat on, I'm freezing." The older man nodded, then turning his back on her, went to the wall and adjusted a thermostat.  
  
Immediately she pulled the phone line out, then lifted his keys off the desk. As Johnson turned around, she had put her head down on her hand. She looked up at him, then said, "I'd like to go back to my husband now, please, I'll feel better if I stay with him." As the older man shook his head, Laurie quickly tossed the remainder of the water in her glass at his face, then swung and slugged him in the chin, sending him backward onto the floor. A wave of rage went through her, and as Johnson tried to get off the carpet, she yelled, "That's for hurting A.J. and Rick!" then hit him again.  
  
Running for the door, she tried to pull it open, only to find it was locked. She found the key on his ring, then unlocking the latch, pulled the door open and slammed it behind her, only to feel someone grab her from the side. Frightened, she whirled around only to see Rick holding her arm, and she collapsed against him in relief. "I've got you, sweetheart, let's get out of here." he told her, pulling her down the hallway. As they ran toward the entrance of the building, she heard Steve tell her they had opened the automatic door partway, to head straight for it.  
  
"There it is, Rick, Steve forced it open." she pointed at the end of the corridor. Just before they reached the end of the hall, Patrick came around the corner and started to level a gun at them, only to have Steve jump through the entry and knock him into a wall. Rick and Laurie ran toward him, only to hear a whistling noise and see a gas canister fly past them, then burst against the wall. "Gas!" Steve yelled, and all three of them ran at the rapidly closing door. Steve reached it, then using all his strength pushed the door up, calling for them to hurry. Rick pushed Laurie through first, then he and Steve dived underneath the door just before it closed.  
  
Coughing and choking, Rick squinted through the smoke that had escaped with  
  
them, seeing Oscar coming towards them. Oscar caught his niece as she stumbled, keeping her from hitting the ground. When Rick reached them, Oscar was embracing Laurie, comforting her. "You're safe, baby, it's over. You did a good job. I'm proud of you, honey." She raised her face and kissed Oscar on the cheek, "you're going to make me cry, thank you for backing me up."  
  
Goldman looked at Rick's relieved smile, then put a stern look on his face, "Laurie, I am going to have to have a talk with you, though, especially about obeying orders, ok?" She hugged him and replied, "Yes, Oscar."  
  
Rick and Oscar insisted on helping Laurie to his car, where Rudy, and to his brother's surprise, A.J., were anxiously waiting. Rick left Laurie in Rudy's care and grabbed his brother, hugging him. "A.J., are you all right?" His little brother nodded, "Just sore, looks like you went nine rounds, too." Dr. Wells came over to both of them and looking at the bump on Rick's head, frowned and said  
  
"Let me look at that, Rick, I don't want two patients." Admitting to a headache, the older Simon went to the back of the car, where Laurie was resting. She opened her eyes, then put her arm around his shoulders as Rudy checked him out.  
  
When he finished, the doctor smiled and handed Rick an ice pack from his bag, "This and an aspirin should help, I don't think you have a concussion. It's my turn to drive you guys around, anyway." He looked at Laurie, and told her gently, "We're taking you to the hospital, honey, I need to know what's making you sick." She nodded, "You're right, I barely made it through this time. And I need to know," she swallowed hard and looked at Rick, "If I'm pregnant." Stunned, he put his arms around his wife and looked up at Rudy. "She can't be, I mean, it could hurt her, right, Rudy?"  
  
He nodded, then looked at Oscar who had come over to check on them. "Oscar, is Captain Ron done? I want to get Laurie to the clinic." Laurie turned, surprised "I didn't know the Captain was here, did they catch those two?" Her uncle nodded, and then the policeman himself walked up and greeted the Simons.  
  
"I'm glad to see you, Mrs. Simon, how are you feeling?" She smiled at him, feeling Rick tighten his embrace. "Better, thank you, Captain. I don't know how to thank you for backing us up today. Did you need me to fill out a statement?"  
  
"No, ma'am, Mr. Goldman and A.J. told me most of what happened. We flushed out both Johnson and his remaining accomplice and we have enough on them to send all three of them to prison for life." he replied. "Thank God, I was terrified they were going to kill Rick and I," Laurie shivered. Captain Ron saw her reaction, then patted her shoulder. "Don't worry, Mrs. Simon, they'll never hurt you or your family again. Rick, you get her taken care of right now, I'll stop by tomorrow to have you fill in any blanks." He walked away, leaving Rick with a startled look on his face.  
  
A.J. grinned, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say he had a crush on Laurie! I've never seen him so concerned before." Laurie looked at her brother-in- law, then shook her head. "A.J., you need a check up. Captain Ron is always nice. He just had to get to know you guys, that's all, right, Rick?"  
  
She heard muffled laughter, then glanced at Rick's frown. "Darling, you aren't jealous, are you?" Laurie looked at her uncle and Rudy, both trying to hide their amusement. "Oh, you, you guys are nuts, honestly! I don't know whether it's a compliment or what!"  
  
A.J. snickered, "I think it's a what, let's leave it at that. " Steve shook his head, then told Rudy, "I'll drive A.J., you and Oscar can take Rick and Laurie to the hospital, I'll meet you there."  
  
As they drove toward the highway, Laurie gazed at Rick's set expression, then put her face in his shoulder and whispered, "Rick, please don't be mad, I can't handle it right now. I've never wanted anyone but you." She felt him touch her cheek, then he met her eyes and told her, "I'm not angry, darlin', I'm scared. I don't want to lose you. I know the Captain idolizes you, that doesn't worry me.  
  
I'm just afraid of what Rudy's going to find. To think that animal made you so sick on top of it, ." Laurie pulled his head down and kissed him, "It's going to be all right, Rick. I know it is. Just hold me, I'll be fine."  
  
Rick kissed her back, then held her close until they reached the clinic, where Doc Walker and another doctor were waiting for them. He helped Laurie climb out of the back of the car as Doc walked up with a wheelchair. Looking down at his friend, he kissed the top of her head and smiled, "Thank God you two are all right. Dr. Lindstrom's going to take a look at you, Light, it'll be ok." Laurie squeezed his hand, "Thanks, Doc". Rick looked at the other doctor, then held out his hand. "Rick Simon, glad to meet you, Doc."  
  
The tall, blond man looked him up and down, then shook his hand. "Mr. Simon, Dr. Walker and I will take a look at your wife after she's settled in. Go ahead and take her in to one of the treatment rooms."  
  
The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur for Rick, as A.J. arrived with Steve and Linda. Then the sheriff's car pulled in and out came Rob Gomez with Cecilia and Rob and Robin. After greeting Oscar, Cecilia embraced Rick then both of his children tearfully hugged him. Robin looked at her father, and said "Pop, vacations are no fun without you and Mom. Next time, you guys come. That way Rob and I can keep an eye on the both of you!" He laughed in relief and hugged them, then took his mother aside, as the others took seats in the waiting area. "Mom, I'm glad you came, Laurie's sick, and they think, well, that she might be pregnant."  
  
Cecilia shook her head, "No, I don't think she is, honey. You remember when her appendix burst, the emergency room doctors said she would be unable to have  
  
any children because of all the scar tissue. All I cared about was Laurie getting well and trying to adopt her, so that miserable excuse for a parent would never leave her so ill again". She sighed, " Didn't Rudy say the same thing?"  
  
Rick got his mom a cup of coffee, then sitting next to her, replied, "Yeah, before we got married Laurie told me Rudy had her see a specialist, and they told her the same thing, she couldn't have children, not to even try.  
  
That's why this is so scary, she's never sick and now this." "Rick, she's going to be fine, the sheriff told me Dr. Lindstrom is a teaching doctor at the University, he's an expert in his field. Doc and Rudy both trust Him with Laurie and so do I."  
  
She squeezed his hand, then said, "Now, tell me what happened, and how did you and A.J. get these horrible bruises."  
  
Rick beckoned Rob and Robin over, and reluctantly told all of them what had happened since they spoke with Laurie the night before. He had just gotten to breaking out of the building when Rudy came over to them, and greeting the kids and Cecilia, said "Dr. Lindstrom and Doc have finished examining Laurie, they want to talk to you."  
  
He looked at his mom, then squared his shoulders and followed Rudy into Laurie's room. She looked so pale in the bright hospital light, but she smiled at Rick as he came to kiss her, then sit next to her.  
  
Dr. Lindstrom cleared his throat. "After examining your wife, Mr. Simon, Dr. Walker and I ran some tests on her. I also consulted Dr. Wells on her medical history. Mrs. Simon,", he looked at her, "you already knew you could not have children, but what none of your doctors told you was that you could possibly be susceptible to a growth or irritation that would give you the same kind of symptoms as occur in early pregnancy. I believe that is what has happened, and I would like to perform an arthroscopic procedure to see if this is what has occurred.  
  
If so, we can remove the excess tissue or growth, do a biopsy, then do a modified procedure to correct the problem." Laurie looked at Rick, then taking his hand, said, "If they do the procedure, I won't have to worry about this hitting me again, what do you think?" He looked at the doctors, then went right to the hard question. "What if it's a growth, how soon would we know if it was bad." Rick couldn't say the word, not yet.  
  
Doc Walker put a hand on his shoulder, as Dr. Lindstrom answered, "Within an hour at the most, Mr. Simon. If there are no complications, Mrs. Simon can leave the clinic tomorrow, but she will need to be in bed for several days. No horseback riding for a month, and I wouldn't advise any heavy chores for several weeks. Any questions?"  
  
Rick looked back at his wife, then clearing his throat, replied, "No, how soon can you operate?" "Right now," Rudy nodded, then Laurie interrupted, "Can I have a local, I don't want any anesthesia." The tall doctor looked confused as Doc Walker told him, "Laurie is allergic to many sedatives, she gets sick to her stomach. Honey, I think it will be all right, the procedure should only take an hour." Lindstrom agreed, then said he and Rudy would get ready while Laurie was prepped. As the doctors left the room, she reached for Rick and put her face in his shoulder, "I love you," she whispered trying not to cry. "Sweetheart, I love you too, it's a lot to swallow right now. I, well, I'm sorry, no, I'm not sorry you're not pregnant. I don't want anything to happen to you, darlin'. Mom says you're going to be ok, and I know she's right."  
  
"Mom's here! Oh, Rick, let me see her and Rob and Robin, please?" She brightened up, making her husband laugh through the lump in his throat.  
  
Once Cecelia and the kids came in, Rick left to sign the forms for her surgery, then just before the doctors were to start, Laurie asked where Oscar was. In a minute he was at her side, "Laurie, you're going to be fine. I'm just outside if you need me," he told her, hugging her.  
  
Laurie took advantage of his presence to ask if Rick could stay with her until the local took effect. Mindful of the need for her to remain calm, Doc Walker talked his colleague into allowing Rick to sit with her.  
  
Rick came back into the room just as Dr. Lindstrom gave her a shot. Laurie was lying there with her eyes closed, and Rick took her hand and squeezed it, causing her to smile. "Hi, there", she murmured, opening her eyes to gaze at him. Rick stroked her forehead until she relaxed, then just sat quietly holding her hand in his. After a moment, Doc Walker looked at Dr. Lindstrom and indicated he could start.  
  
Rick was so busy concentrating on Laurie's face, watching for any signs of distress, that he was surprised when Rudy tapped him on the shoulder, "It's over, you two can relax now." She opened her eyes, startled, then said, "I didn't feel anything, how long does it take for the local to wear off?"  
  
The older man chuckled, "You should start feeling some discomfort in about an hour, honey. Then you can sit up and have something to drink, how do you feel?" A relaxed grin crossed her face, "Kind of fuzzy, I bet there was something other then a local in that shot, huh, Rudy?"  
  
"Just a little," he smiled back at her, then looked at Rick and gave him the high sign to see him outside. Rick leaned down and kissed Laurie, then asked, "Do you want to see Mom for a moment?" "Sure, A.J. too", she giggled, causing him to laugh. "Honey, I've never seen you tipsy, I bet this is what you'd look like!"  
  
While Cecilia and A.J. sat with her, Rick followed Rudy to Doc's office, where they waited for the lab results. As the minutes passed, Doc Walker told them that all indications were that the growth found was probably old scar tissue, but "better safe then sorry." There was a knock on the door, and Oscar peeked in, "any word?" All three shook their heads, so he came in and took turns pacing with Rick.  
  
Finally Dr. Lindstrom walked in, holding a file. He glanced at their faces, then broke into a rare smile. "The biopsy was negative, it was just scar tissue. Mrs. Simon should have no further problems." He fixed his gaze on Rick, who was  
  
having trouble keeping the tears out of his eyes. "She will need to be careful for sometime, understand. Be very, um, gentle with her. I don't foresee any problems and she can resume her normal routine in a month or so."  
  
He nodded, then shook the doctor's hand. "Thank you, Dr., I, don't worry, I'll take care of my girl." He looked at the others, seeing the same relief on their faces. "Rudy, can you tell the others, I'm going to Laurie."  
  
He bolted from the room, then grabbing Rob and Robin in a quick hug, took Linda by the hand and pulled all three into the room with him. A.J. and Cecilia looked up as they came in, and he went right to his wife. Breaking into a watery smile, Rick said, "Everything's fine, darlin', Dr. Lindstrom says the results are negative, sweetheart!"  
  
Laurie opened her arms to Rick as he clung to her, shaking with relief. "Darling," she held onto him, "Thank God, my darling, nothing's going to take me from you." They held each other tight, then she put her hand up to his face and wiped his tears away. Rick heard sniffing around them, then realized Oscar was standing with his back to the family.  
  
Laurie whispered, "Oscar?" He turned, then as Rick moved over, wrapped his arms around his niece. Laurie realized how fearful they all had been, and the weight of the day suddenly hit her. "Oh, Oscar, what a day, if you hadn't been there!" She started to sob into his shoulder, and he comforted  
  
her as Rick got her a glass of water. When she calmed down Rudy saw that the local had started to wear off, so he made everyone but Rick and Oscar leave. Cecilia and the kids went to stay with the Chief for the night, as Linda and A.J. went back to the ranch, promising to be back in the morning.  
  
Steve decided to fly back to Ojai in the morning, so he too went to bunk with the Chief, leaving Rudy and Oscar flipping for the extra cot Doc Walker had offered them. Once they were alone, Rick pulled over the extra gurney the doc had provided, then pushing it next to his wife, climbed up and put his arm around her. She smiled, "Hmmm, that feels better." He wiggled his eyebrows at her and said, "Dr. Lindstrom told me we had to be careful, I'm afraid this will be as good as it gets for a while." He kissed her as she snuggled against him. "I don't think Dr. Lindstrom is used to bold hussies like me, Rick. I was so embarrassed when he asked, you know, if we were using birth control. I never thought of it."  
  
Rick laughed at Laurie, as she turned red. "Sweetheart, you're so cute when you blush. You're my blushing bride and I love you. Now you get some rest, I want to hear the story of how you got that cactus needle in your thigh and it may take all morning!"  
  
Kissing each other good night, Laurie looked at Rick, then sighed, "I have a feeling I won't live down those cactus for some time!" 


	5. Epilogue

Epilogue  
  
"Rick, where's Laurie?" A.J. surveyed the crowded casino floor for his sister-in-law. His brother grinned, "Over at the craps table with Oscar, I don't know what she enjoys more, playing craps or his laughing at her bets!"  
  
"Well, Mom's playing bingo, she thinks you guys had one heck of an idea about Laurie's tour obligations. I knew there was no way her publisher would make her go around the country only a month after being sick. ", A.J. told Rick as he slipped his brother some coins, then watched him lose them in a couple of pulls.  
  
"Well, doing the Book Convention, she takes care of the book dealers and can do satellite appearances all at once." Rick added as A.J. grabbed the handle on the mega slot. Suddenly they heard loud cheers from the tables and Rick grabbed his bucket of coins, "Come on, I think somebody just hit the 40 to 1!"  
  
Making their way over to the piano-shaped pit, the brothers spotted Laurie jumping up and down as they stacked chips in front of her. Oscar had his arm around her and was trying to balance his own winnings at the same time. Rick offered his assistance, which the big man gratefully accepted. "Rick, look, I did it!" she squealed, as his jaw dropped at the payout in front of her. "Honey, you'd better pick that up, you have a panel in half an hour.," he reminded her, helping her gather her winnings.  
  
Amidst the groans of the rest of the table, Laurie tipped the stick man and let A.J. take her place as Rick and Oscar led her to the cashiers window, where she gaped at the size of the cashier's check handed to her. "Four thousand dollars! I 've never even won more than four hundred!" Her uncle looked rather pleased with his payout and grinned at her enthusiasm. "Honey, what are you going to do with that?" She beamed at the two of them "Buy Rick a new transmission, I think we're on our third one for the truck"  
  
Rick embraced her. "Thank you, darlin', but I want Robin to have one year of college where she doesn't have to work odd jobs for spending money. Besides, I might just get a new truck, Robin could use the old one once it's spruced up!"  
  
Oscar looked at the two Simons then shook his head. "Just when I think you two are finally growing up; you might want to save a little of that jackpot, Rick." "Oh, we will, Oscar, that's why she got a cashier's check, harder to spend that way!" he grinned.  
  
Just then they heard Laurie being paged, and meeting up with A.J., who decided Craps was too noisy for his style, the four of them went to the Convention check in desk.  
  
Later, watching the panel discussion his wife was taking part in; Rick had a flash of Déjà vu. Almost ten years to the day, he was watching Laurie in the back of a train car. He turned to look at his brother, only to meet his eyes and realize he was having the same thoughts.  
  
Edging over to stand next to him, he waited until a break in the questions then said, "Ten years ago, only it's a train car with Steve, now it's a convention hall with Oscar and Mom and the kids."  
  
A.J. nodded, then pricked his ears up as Laurie started to address the issue of writer's block. "My particular block was in reaction to an outside force, not an inside dilemma, " she said ruefully to her questioner. "How did you overcome it, what made you decide to write again?" the student persisted.  
  
Rick met Laurie's eyes, and she blushed as she replied, "I decided not to let fear take my writing, one of the things I enjoy the most, away. I have the most incredible family support, and I have inspiration everyday from my husband. If you really love to write, and you have even one person that believes in you, nothing can stand in the way of your dreams."  
  
As the crowd stood and applauded the end of the panel, Rick made his way through the mob, and swept Laurie off her feet, bringing a chorus of cheers. "Rick!" she gasped with surprise, "what on, ohhh", she remembered, and then put her arms around his neck and kissed him. As they ran out of breath, Laurie put her face against his and whispered, "Thank you for ten years of believing in me, my love."  
  
Rick kissed her again and said, "No, thank you for being my inspiration, here's to ten more years of dreams coming true!" 


End file.
